Leather-grading machine



Jan,`6, 1931.A D. PARKS 17,788,029

LEATHER GRADING'v MACHINE Jan 6, 1931. D. PARKS 1,788,029

LEATHER GRADING MACHINE Filed 0ct.16, 1929 ZSheets-Sheet 2.

@@WME QTTOENK Patented Jan. 6, 1931` -igeirrfED DENNI'srAnK'sior s'r; noms,y MIssoUnI i l LnATnnn-enADING-MACHINE f Application flied oteber is, 19,29; sigrifninsiV 399,886.L

` In the machine of the application referred i to, I disclose the use of endless carriers in the forni of coiledfwire cables arranged to move lo in parallel, relation from end to end of the machine, and'which were intended to provide a secure grip on the Vpiecesof leather to be gradedwhilepermitting the ready removal of such pieces vfrom between the wire cables ls'bycthe lgrading rollers. While the machine involving the abovefeature operates, inthe main, satisfactorily, nevertheless it was found in'praetiee that very often, and 'especially when a `relatively thick vpieceof leather was 2v about to be discharged by the gradingv rollers, theV wire cables oricarriers would lhe twisted or turned axially as thepiece ofi-leather was pulled from between them, with the result that a following piece of leather, which -had not yet beencarried to the position between the rollers where it would be discharged, would be thrown out by the partial rotation of the carriers, and thus improper grading would result.

'3U :In overcoming this disadvantage of myV prior machine, ,I dispense "with the'coiled wire cables and substitute therefor an endless chain,y the bottom edges-ofthe links of which are adapted to engage and movefthe' pieces of leather to begraded between -the grading rollers, this chain or Acarrier ,co-operating with a stationary bar, the ,upper 'surface' of which is corrugated, vthefpieceslof` leather l being adapted to lbe grippedbetween the l chain andthe bar and to be moved over the bar by the cha-in until the proper grading position of the pieces of leather, in turn, is

' reached when vthe grading rollers operate,

asin the case of my previous machine, to pull the piece of leather from between the chain "and the bar and to discharge it into an appropriate receptacle.` l p The present invention is also characterized by novel means for causing a yielding en 5 *gagemeut of the gripping chainor carrier chain co-operating therewith, the section vbe`v` nier-als l, 2 indicate standards which are sub- -With thepece'sof leather, andby other novel.` .l l

featuresl of construction which will be more clearly' understood from'the detailed descrip ltion to follow taken inconnection with the aCCOHlpanyng drn/ings 55 Figure lisa` plan view of a machine 'cony structed according to my invention; Figure 2 is a view in frontelevation thereof, a 'portion of th'emachine being broken avvayto better illustrate the construction;

.Y Figure 3 isa sectionon an enlarged scale taken on the line `3 3 of Fig. 2 viewed in the direction Vof 'the arrows;

' Figure 4 is a sectional View on an enlarged sca-le taken on the line H 'of Figi 3 and65 viewed in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5'is an 'enlargedcrosssectional view showing; the stationary gripping bar and a portion of one of -thelinks of the gripping ing taken on' the line 5- 5 of'Fi'gA; l

4 Figure 6 its a sectional viewtaken on the line 6-6 of Fig. e `illustrating the manner of mounting the 'rollers in the pressure memberswhich cro-operatev with the gripping lchain to produce a yielding Contact on the pieces ofsleather. g

Referringnow to the drawings,` the nustantiallyA-shaped in form and located, re` 80 spectively, at opposite ends of the machine, said standards supporting; the operating parts of the machine. Mounted on the upper ends of, these standards is a container 3f for holding the lifts or other pieces of leathery g5 to be graded, lsaid container extending bel yond the standard l at the left of the machineY `(as shown yin Figs. `l Vand 2) and projecting forwardly at such extended portion, as indicated at 4L vinfliigl, the front end of this 90 projecting portion ybeing open and fthe' projection itself providing a table o n which the pieces of leatherrest in convenient position to be picked up by the operator and fed into the machine. Mounted in bearings 5, 6 pro- 95 vided at each` end of the' machine are two cylindrical grading rollers 7, 8, the upper grading roller 7 beingl mounted in the bearings 5 and the lower grading roller 8, in the .bearings Thebearngs Q 'these rollers are 100 ESB so disposed that atthe front end of the machine, that at the left o-f Figs` Vl and 2, the

rollers are separatedV by a distance approximately one-fourth vof an inch, while at the rear end of the machine they are separated by a space of approximately yone-sixteenth of an inch.v The vlength oftherollers andthe gradualnarrowingof thespace between them from-the front to the rear end ofthe machine are. so proportioned as lto enable me to vprovide for conveniently galading-aiagne'dl'ferent thicknesses of leather corresponding I' in thlckness to the Vwell known ironseused' lfor -V grading leather of .numbers LArunning `from N o. 10 to No. 2. Such numbers are prefer ably placed on the frontoffthelmachine above -the grading AArolle-ris, 4as indicated by `the letterA,to disclose the various .points along thev .number and the preceding one.

y,grading rollers-at .which pieces of leathercorresponding in thickness tothe iron ofthe numberizpositioned atk the zone of discharge. There is aspaceebetween each of the numbers Aof several inches `and apiece of leatherffcorresponding in grade with anygiven number will bed-ischarged atsome point between that Ifa more .accurate-.degree'of grading .is required, it can-'be obtained by :increasing the number I`of receptacles, hereinafter referred to, for jreceigvi-ng the #pieces of leatherejected. by

the gradingrollers.

At its rear end, the

Y grading roller 7-is Aprovided vwith 4a stub .sha-ft l9 on which' is` mounted a drive pulley `l() adapted to receive a belt (not shown) driven fromY any suitable source of power. Mountedon the shaft 9 is a gear 1l which meshes with asimilar gear 12 provided on -the end of the grading roller-8, whereby 'the grading rollers may be rotated in unison --and lat the same rate of speed from the` shaft 4'9. In order to carry the pieces of leather to be graded between the rollers 7 and 8, -Iprovide .the following mechanismr `Mountedat the top ofthestandards l and 2 at .the fron-t of the machineand extending from end to end thereof Yis an .angle `barl3 (Fi-gs. 3 and Ll). jSecured on the frontv face ofthis angle bar is a fillerstrip-l3a which is shaped to lprovide fafseries'of separated recesses 14 (Fig. 4l) inveach of which is mounted a pressure member or blockl. Each of lthese blocks is provided at opposite ends,

- respectively,fand finvits outer face, with re` .rotatably mounted an c antiffriction roller i8.V

cesses 16 ifrom the bottom center of. which project lshort shafts 17 lonieach of which` is Centrally of its -length veach of the pressure blocks 15 Vis provided 'with Aacircular recess 19' Vwhichvhouses va coil-spring 20 Vthe* upper fend-:of which-'bears against the -undersi de -21 .corresponding vrecess` `14. rI hese pressure `*blocks -are `Hoa-ting blocks; that isV -to say, either end. .mayA raise while pivoting on the otherj end, and teeny-degree,thezcoil-spring the gripping chain 2%. maintain the upper edge of the links 28 20 exerting pressure on the block at all times and in all positions thereof. The pressure blocks are loosely confined in the recesses 14; preferably by means of a series of thin metal plates 21a which are secured on the front side of the filler strips 13al by means of screws 2lb, these screws, as shownv in Fig. e, passing v through projections on the Yfiller strip and serving to secure the latter to the front face of the angle bar 13.l V

MountedLin-.isuitable bearings at each end of Ythe machine is a substantially vertically disposed sh-aft 22v on Vwhich is secured' a sprocket wheel 23, and around these sprocket wheelspasses'fan endless chain 24 (Figs.

`2, 3 and 4). In the drawings, .I have only shown one ofthe sprocket wheels 23, but

lchine in Fig. 2. Positioned beneath the chain 2li-and extending parallel therewith is a bar 25 (Figs. 3, 4:' and') which is secured to the frontface of the angle bar 13 by means of screws 26. The upper surface oredge of Vrthe bar 25 is corrugated, asindicated at 27 iny Fig. 5."The lin-ks 28 ofV sprocket chain thatat the other,`or right-hand, end of the tmachine' ismounted in exactly the same way as shown at the.`lefthand side of thema- 2 are vertically disposed andeach of said -links at one end injits lowerV edge is provided withafshoulder 2 9 (Fig) which shoulders A are for thevpurpose of engaging the pieces of leathergand moving them over the upper surface offbar `25. Oneof the grooves, preferably the youter groove, on the upper surface-of bar 27 is adapted to 4receive the lower edges of links 28 and guide the links in their passage over'the-bar.- The gripping chain 21k may extend directly from one sprocket 'wheel23 to'. the other, but preferably, as

lubricated to--minimize friction between the link syand the rollers 18,;and to this end, I

Y mount fon the hub vof .the tightener sprocket 30 a relatively-thick circular washer of lfelt (Fig. which is maintained supplied `with ...lubricant and continuously 5 bears fagainst th'e upper vedge of the chain 24'in the movement of the latter. Extending from..` end toen'd 'of thelmachine is a drive shaft 36 mounted at each end-,in bearingsv 37 and provided at one end with a pulley 38. The

stubshaft 9 previously referred to is pro- -rided withiaeidryepulley .139 and a beltAO l :shaft 36at eachrend` thereof yis a bevel gearweaves.

V@passes@over pulleys l 38 and39 `whereby .shaft -36 isidriven from stubshaft 9 lwhen the latter is rotated by I pulley 1 0. Mountedv f at* the 41whieh mesheswith a-'bevel gear42 prorotated the-sprockets 23-willY bek `drivenfto y-move the gripping lchain :2 4yin a direction from letto right-of the machine, as shown' in Figs. 1 and-2. J

In ,order to reduce ytheA friction which vwould resultif the rollers 18 (Fig. 4) were adapted to engaget-he upper `edges/of the slightly elevated above tlierfupper .edge of said chain. front face of the angle barf18nt'o extend the length foffsaid angle fbar a jmetalfstripv 43 (Fig. 3) Iand located between said angle bar `and the grippingbarL 25, the latter `and the strip 43tbeing secured to the angle `barV by the Ascrews 26, .previously yreferred to. VThe pressure 'blocksl areifadapted to ride on.k

the upperedgeof the lmetal strip 43 yand thus maintain the rollers 18 out. o/fcontactrvvith the upper edge of chain 24, as clearly shown 1n Fig. 4.

grippingchain 24,1 preferably locate a grip- .ping or rictin=rol`ler 44 '(Fig. 2) beneath t-he lower edge ofchain 2 4 at about vthe point of widest separation thereof fromthe yupper edge of Vthe bar 25,'orjust'beyond the end of said bar, vas "shown in Fig, 2, which roller vthat wheref'theleather was inserted directlyand the lbar/25.

'facilitates the movemeiitof they leather into the gripping position between 'the chain and gripping bar. ln' other words, it was ,found between the chain I24 and bar 25 there was a ltendency on the part of the pieces of leather kto lag momentarily owing to the resistanceoiered to its movementlby the stationary bar '25. By-.placing the roller "44 at theV pointk where the pieces offleather are ed into the machine, this cause of resistance to Inove-v `ment is overcome "and, although the engage-V ment of the ychain with the piecesro leather is very slight at this particular -poin't,"the said pieces will readily move into lposition to be tigvghtlyl gripped betweengthe chain rlhe corrugations the pieces 'of leather, to guide them in -a :right -line in their passage between the grading `rollers 7 and 8y and prevent any tendency-of 'the pieces of vleather being moved from-be-v tween the chain and bar until they have reached, in turn, the respective yzones :on the .grading rollers where 'the frictiona'l engage- `Vrment of the latter `-vviththepieces ofle'ather '.'will'cause their-discharge.

rollers.

and project outwardly therefrom.

To tliisfend, Insecure on the leatheras inserted to the right, -it is engaged vby the chain -andinoved intogrippingiiel-a- A. desired number of containers may be and 8 to receive the pieces of leather thrown out at various points along the length of said These are usually in the form of' bags (Figs. 1- and 8) secured on hooks46 (F ig. 3) aiijd provided at the outerl and inner ends, respectively, of Varms 47 which are se cured on the underside ofthe anglebar 13 AIn operation, the container 3 being: suppliedvvith the pieces ofleather to begraded,

the operatortakes up pieces of leather from the table land inserts them in succession between the gripping chain 24 and the roller 44v at the iront or left-hand end of the rmachine ig; 2). Bymoving each piece of tionbetweensaid chain and the `upper edge of the gripping bai' 25, and continues to be moved thereafter from the front to the rear ,end of the machine. rlhe insertion `oit' a `piece of leatherA between the chainand thegripping barnecessarily raises tliechainatthis point out 'of engagementfwith thebanrand as this raised portion passes under-one or the other of the rollers 148 of a pressure block 15,

the corresponding-end of the .latter will Ibe gripping ychain2eand thegripping .bar 25, vthe yielding of the pressure blocks 15, -or

yrollers 18 thereof, is very important, as it permits of. the chain 24` maintain-ing a firm Ygriponthe pieces Aof leather Vregardless of the varying thicknesses of the leather.' Forexample, a pieceof leather an eighth ofi an inch in thickness Vpasses beneath a roller 18 and the next piece of leather is only ra sixteenthV or `an rfinchthick,4 the corresponding vend of the pressureblock and its roller will yield inv an upward direction to accommodate .the thickness of thefirst piece, `and the chain .is immediately moved toward the bar 25 as i soonasthe thicker piece ofleather has passed beneath a roller 18 to enable the chain'to grip, 0r maintain the grip, on the thinner piece of i leather following. v 27-in the upper edge of rbar 25 serve, by engaging 'the underside of From the above statement of the-operation,

.it will be seen :that the grading rollers will operate automatically to removeiroin bewidthofthespace between the rollers'atisuch points. It will also be .seen that the greater the number of .containersr45 that are `em- I. ployed,ithezmoiteiaccuizate thefg r a'ding;svv:ill1be.-fY` 1 v raisedlagainst the resistance of the coil spring Y 20, Yand as soon as the raised portion o1 the llO ' Y toV provide a gradually nairowingspace ei;-

tending throughoutthe length of the'rollers,

kit will be obvious tothose skilled in the artV that I could equally well-employ the construction of grading rollers shownin the i narrows, as fr rI claim:

358, dated December 7th, 1915, in which one ofthe rollers is provided with a series of separated grading areas, but in which the space, as ar whole, between the rollers gradually in theV present invention.

l. A leather gradingmachine comprising la pair of grading rollers having a space between them gradually lnarrowing in widthl from one end of the rollers to the other, and

means for successively conveying pieces ofj vkleatherlengthwise of the rollers with a porvtion of each piece projecting into the space between the rollers, comprising a statioiiar `A gripping member extendingparallel -to said roller-s substantially throughout the length thereof and an endless carrier adapted to move parallel to and in gripping relation with said stationary gripping member'.

tion of each piece projecting into theV space 2. A leather grading machine comprising a pairof grading rollers having a space between them gradually narrowing in width from one end of the rollers to the other, and

Vmeans for successively conveying pieces of leather lengthwise of the rollers with a portion -of each pieceprojecting'int'o the space between the rollers, comprising a stationary gripping 'member extending parallel to said rollers substantially throughout the length thereof and having an upper corrugated edge,

'and an endless carrier adapted to move parallel to "and in gripping relation with the corrugatedfedge of said gripping member. y

3. A leather grading' machine comprising a pair of grading rollers having a space between them gradually narrowing in width from one end of the rollers to the other, and

`means for successively conveying pieces of leather lengthwise of the rollers with a porbetween the rollers, comprising a stationary i bar extending parallel to said rollers 4substantially throughout the length thereof and provided with an upper edge having longitudinally extending corrugations and an endless gripping chain having its links vertically d isposed with reference to 4said bai" and adapted to be moved thereover with the lower `edges of its links normally in guiding engagement with one of the corrugations of said bar.

4. A leather grading machine comprising Y a pair of grading rollers having a space between them gradually narrowing in width from one end of the rollers to the other, and

means for successively conveying pieoesof leather lengthwise of the rollers with a portionV of each piece projecting-into a space between the rollers, comprising `a stationary gripping member extending parallel to said rollers substantially throughout the lengthV Y 'Y links of said chain being provided with shoulprior patent to Mitchell zsV Parks, No. 1,163,-

ders for engaging the pieces of leather to move` them vover said gripping member.v

5. A leather grading machine comprising a pair of 'grading rollers having a space between them gradually narrowing in width f from one end ofthe rollers to the other, means Y for successively conveying pieces of leather Vfacilitate the feed of the pieces of leatherbeween the carrier and said gripping memer. Y i

6. A leather grading machine comprising a pair of grading rollers having a space between them gradually narrowing in width from oneend of the rollers to the other, means for successively conveying pieces ofleather .lengthwise of the rollers-with a portion of each piece projecting into the space between the rollers, comprising a stationary gripping member ext-ending parallel to said rollers substantially throughout the length Athereof andan endless carrierA adapted tomove parallel to andin gripping relation with said stationary member, and a series of'pressure members yieldingly mounted above said carrier at intervals throughout the operative length thereof to maintain gripping engagement between said carrier and the gripping member on pieces of leather of varying thickness being drawn by the carrier between the grading rollers.

7.k A leather grading machine comprising av pair of grading rollers having a space between4 them' gradually narrowing in width from one end of the rollers to the other, means for successively conveying pieces of leather lengthwise of the rollers with a portion of each piece projecting into the space between@ the rollers, comprising a' stationary gripping member extending parallelA to said rollers substantially throughout' the length thereof and an endless carrier adaptedv to move parallel to and in gripping relation with said `stationary gripping member, and a series of in thev portion thereof engaging a piece of Y leather, whereby to maintain gripping con- Ytact between the carrier and the gripping member on pieces of leather of varying thickness being drawn by the carrier between the grading rollers. Y y

8. A leather vgrading machine comprising Y a' pair of grading `rollers having a space between them gradually Vnarrowing in width from one end of the rollers to the other, means for successively conveying pieces of leather lengthwise of the rollers with a portion of each pieceprojecting into the space betweenV the rollers, comprising a stationary gripping member extending parallel to said rollers substantially 'throughout thelength thereof to yield to varying degrees as pieces of leather of different thicknesses are moved by the carrier beneath them, whereby gripping contact Y y between the carrier and the gripping member on such pieces ofleather-.isv maintained through the operative lengthof said' carrier. 9.' A leather grading machine `comprising a pair of grading rollers having a space be-r tween them graduallyl narrowing in width from one end of the rollers to the other, means for successively conveying pieces of leather s lengthwise of the rollers with a portion of each piece projecting into the space betweeny v kthe rollers, comprising a stationary gripping member` extending parallel to said rollers substantially throughout the length thereof and an endless carrier adapted to move parallel to and in gripping relation with said stationary member, a series of pressure members yieldingly mounted above said carrier at intervals throughout the operative length v thereof to maintain gripping engagement between saidcarrier and the gripping member on pieces of leather of varying thickness being drawn by the carrier between the gradf 4ing rollers, and means for normally malntaining said pressure members out of contact with sald endless carrier.

o In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set y my hand.` 55k DENNIS PARKS. 

